Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 4/26/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-115) Tampa Bay (-105)

The Houston Astros (12-11) are en route to Tropicana Field on Wednesday where they will take on the Tampa Bay Rays (20-3). The moneyline on this game has the Astros at -115 and the Rays are at -105. The over/under comes in at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Hunter Brown and Calvin Faucher.

As a team, the Houston Astros are notching 5.0 runs per game, which puts them at 8th in baseball. They have notched a total of 116 runs while holding a team OBP of .329. The Astros have compiled 35 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 24 balls out of the park. They have earned 112 runs batted in as well as 199 base knocks for the year, and their batting average comes in at .252. Houston is slugging .390 and have struck out 194 times, while being walked on 81 occasions.

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The Astros are sitting with a team ERA of 3.44 this year (5th in MLB), and they have rung up 227 batters. Astros pitchers have given up 23 home runs and also 94 runs in total (11th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 69 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.75 as a unit over the course of the season. Houston has surrendered 189 base hits (8.2 per 9 innings) and 79 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.29 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.25.

Astros relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 12 times as well as having 19 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 4 holds on the campaign (28th in the league). The Astros relievers have earned a save rate of 62.5% and has come into the game in 13 save situations. They have earned 5 saves over the course of the season and have blown 3 of 8 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 22 base runners for the year and 27.3% of them crossed home plate. The Astros have sent 73 relievers to the mound so far this year.

The Houston Astros have notched a total of 620 putouts this season, in addition to 196 assists and 8 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .990 which puts them in 7th in MLB, and have earned 13 double plays. The Astros have turned 68.5% of balls hit into play into outs out of 1,860 innings, which has them sitting 20th in professional baseball.

Brown (4-0 career win-loss mark) sits with a FIP of 2.35 while going up against 177 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 35 base knocks (7.2 hits per 9 innings) with 15 walks. His ERA is 2.06 (10 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.145. Brown has taken the mound for 43 innings and has totaled 46 punch outs in his MLB career.

The Rays hold a team slugging % of .536 and they score 6.83 runs per outing (1st in the league). They have put up 46 two-baggers, while getting a free base 78 times and notching 157 runs. Tampa Bay has 48 home runs over the course of the season to go along with 154 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 186 occasions (23rd in the league) and have earned a total of 226 base hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have an on-base percentage of .360 and a batting average of .287 on the year.

The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.034 with a FIP of 3.32 as a pitching staff on the year. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 9.40 (213 strikeouts vs 70 walks). They are sitting at 1st in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 142. They have given up 14 long balls and they give up 2.81 runs per 9 innings (1st in the league). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have conceded 64 runs over the course of the season while holding an ERA of 2.72 (62 earned runs surrendered).

Tampa Bay has called on relief pitchers to take the mound in 5 save chances and they have recorded 4 saves. They are currently ranked 6th in baseball with a save rate of 80.0%, and they have sent 67 relief pitchers to the mound this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 13 times in high leverage situations and on 12 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 34.8% out of 23 inherited base runners. With 13 save situations, the Rays have recorded 8 holds in addition to 1 blown save.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 16 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .990 (6th in baseball). The Rays have 201 assists, 8 errors and have accounted for 615 putouts during this campaign. In their 1,845 innings played, the Rays are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 74.1% (1st in baseball).

In his MLB career, Faucher has allowed 40 hits while he has tallied 30 punch outs in 32 frames. Faucher (2-3 record in his career) has a 5.63 earned run average while conceding 11.3 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 20 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.625 and a FIP of 5.1. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.50 and he has faced 149 hitters during his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Houston (-115)

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